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joewein.de LLC
fighting spam and scams on the Internet
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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam
The so-called "419" scam is a type of fraud dominated by criminals from Nigeria and other countries in Africa. Victims of the scam are promised a large amount of money, such as a lottery prize, inheritance, money sitting in some bank account, etc.
Victims never receive this non-existent fortune but are tricked into sending their money to the criminals, who remain anonymous. They hide their real identity and location by using fake names and fake postal addresses as well as communicating via anonymous free email accounts and mobile phones.
Keep in mind that scammers DO NOT use their real names when defrauding people.
The criminals either abuse names of real people or companies or invent names or addresses.
Any real people or companies mentioned below have NO CONNECTION to the scammers!
Read more about such scams here or in our 419 FAQ. Use the Scam-O-Matic to verify suspect emails.
Click here to report a problem with this page.
Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:
- This email uses a separate reply address that is different from the sender address. Spammers use this to get replies even when the original spam sending accounts have been shut down. Also, sometimes the sender addresses are legitimate looking but fake and only the reply address is actually an email account controlled by the scammers.
- The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "dear sir/madam" (a standard Nigerian greeting phrase)
- ",500,000" (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
- "00,000.00" (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
- "zhangjianguo82@gmx.com" (this email address has been used in a known scam)
- "zhangjianguo82@gmx.com" (this email address has been used in a known scam)
- "zhangjianguo82@gmx.com" (this email address has been used in a known scam)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: "zhang jianguo" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <zhangjianguo82@gmx.com>
Date: Sun, 24 Oct 2010 03:23:49 +0200
Subject: Financial Task
Financial Task
My email address is zhangjianguo82@gmx.com
Dear Sir/Madam,
I helped a customer purchase security bonds worth $18,500,000.00 in the capital market.The customer died with no one to succeed his estate. Been the one that handled his financial affair for the last 8 Years, the private firm where the funds is presently lodged after I liquidated the security bonds from the various investment is simply waiting for me to present the next of kin.
I am prepared to place you in a position to instruct the Bank to release the deposit to you. Please use my private email account to Contact me if the proposal is of interest to you. zhangjianguo82@gmx.com
Regards,
Mr. Zhang Jianguo
Reply Email: zhangjianguo82@gmx.com
China Construction bank
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Anti-fraud resources: